Question Number: 34907

Mechanics 3/9/2023

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

This question is a follow up to question 34906

Thank you. The VAR assessment is a bit strange. Imagine that there is an attacker A15 alone. A15 shoots wide. Then VAR seems to be silent. Everything changes defender B8. A little unfair, it seems. :-)

Have a nice day!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
Not really unfair when the LotG is infringed.
One could say the same about a goalkeeper moving a foot a few inches off the line before the kick or the attacker whose foot is slightly beyond the offside line or the handling that in real time with the referee close by seeing it as clearly accidental yet slow motion or freeze frame looks otherwise
Might be seen as unfair but such are the vagaries of the minutiae of VAR

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Petr,
black and white, yes or no, With VAR, 1 centimeter in either direction you are on side or offside. In encroachment its generally super easy when there is only 1 player from either team . . It gets complicated when both teams do it, so rather than try to analyze and figure out who was a bit more of the notable infringer. BOTH are held responsible thus a restart no matter the result. The silly accidental rebound of a ball off the arm discounts a legitimate goal due to perceived possibilities not reality. We do not make the LOTG we just try to work with them as best we can. U 21 men's match, the attacker took a heater of a shot directly into the gonads that dropped him down, as he collapsed the ball caught his arm as it rolled to a teammate who scored except he didn't sigh!
Cheers